Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Uijeongbu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Uijeongbu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,275 in Uijeongbu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,050 in Uijeongbu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,826 in Uijeongbu, rent included.

Medellin is about 20% cheaper than Uijeongbu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Uijeongbu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Uijeongbu 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.1K

$5.72 ₩8,690

4.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.2K

$55.8 ₩84.9K

-40.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.7K

$5.71 ₩8,686

26.62%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,779

$3.28 ₩4,984

-50.30%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,882

$1.08 ₩1,647

0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,590

$0.78 ₩1,194

-6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,163

$2.22 ₩3,369

-21.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$2.87 ₩4,358

12.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,721

$2.22 ₩3,380

-52.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,588

$3.34 ₩5,077

-61.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,692

$3.25 ₩4,936

-59.38%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,055

$3.11 ₩4,727

-27.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.4K

$14.30 ₩21.7K

-69.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.9K

$10.88 ₩16.5K

-45.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.5K

$33.94 ₩51.6K

-74.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,970

$7.87 ₩12.0K

-71.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,793

$3.62 ₩5,506

-70.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,408

$5.52 ₩8,390

-72.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,045

$6.43 ₩9,777

-77.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,150

$4.01 ₩6,101

-70.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,143

$2.88 ₩4,374

-59.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,146

$2.55 ₩3,871

-65.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,197

$1.16 ₩1,761

-22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,963

$3.22 ₩4,902

-30.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.2K

$16.07 ₩24.4K

-31.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,041

$2.33 ₩3,549

-51.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,435

$3.22 ₩4,890

-26.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,963

$1.06 ₩1,619

-20.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 148.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,991

$3.62 ₩5,505

-61.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,742

$0.54 ₩818

251.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.5K

$8.72 ₩13.3K

-11.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,566

$1.21 ₩1,838

-16.53%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 62.3M

$27.8K ₩42.3M

-36.82%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K COP 94.0M

$25.4K ₩38.6M

4.44%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.7 COP 296.8K

$144 ₩219.5K

-42.05%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.45 COP 33.5K

$34.23 ₩52.0K

-72.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 85.5K

$22.55 ₩34.3K

6.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 89.8K

$47.22 ₩71.8K

-46.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.5K

$11.11 ₩16.9K

-63.10%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$312 COP 1.1M

$416 ₩633.2K

-25.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.3M

$23.4K ₩35.6M

-74.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 205.8K

$58.6 ₩89.1K

-0.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 115.5K

$47.01 ₩71.5K

-30.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 353.3K

$80.0 ₩121.7K

24.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 384.9K

$117 ₩177.5K

-7.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$255 ₩387.1K

89.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$222 ₩337.1K

71.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$472 ₩717.5K

77.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$401 ₩609.7K

80.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$9,671 ₩14.7M

-70.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$5,178 ₩7.9M

-76.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,993 ₩3.0M

-72.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.14

224.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Uijeongbu: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $255 in Uijeongbu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 268% higher in Uijeongbu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $56.0 in Uijeongbu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $488 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Uijeongbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Uijeongbu is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,912 in Uijeongbu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $56.0 in Uijeongbu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 157% more in Uijeongbu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Uijeongbu at $1,275. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Uijeongbu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Uijeongbu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.